Smith Mountain Lake isn’t only a modern day paradise, it’s an historic treasury. Its location in southwestern Virginia makes it rich in historical persons, places and events. Residents and visitors of SML are within a half-day’s drive of several fascinating historic places like Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, the Homestead Resort, Historic Williamsburg, Virginia, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina’s Old Salem Museums and Gardens. You don’t have to be a history lover to appreciate these popular attractions. Along with guided tours, an accurate restoration of buildings and grounds and friendly period-dressed staff, these places offer distinctive shopping, restaurants and events the whole family will enjoy.  Even closer to Smith Mountain Lake are several historic monuments that draw visit... 07/29/2011

Life is good in Smith Mountain Lake! Summer brings out the best of living at the lake, but even if you don’t own lakefront property, you can enjoy a day at the beach in Franklin County, VA. Both the Smith Mountain Lake Community Park and the Smith Mountain Lake State Park have beaches open to the public, and this year the best part is, both parks are free! There are only a few weeks left to enjoy the beach at Smith Mountain Lake Community Park. The swimming area closes on August 16 for the season. Open from 10am – 6pm throughout the week, the beach has seen many swimmers beating the heat at the lake! Smith Mountain Lake State Park has a beach that is bigger than its counterpart at the Community Park. While the State Park normally has swimming fees, right now you can enjoy swimming for f... 07/26/2011

Lake lovers draw inspiration from different attributes of lake living. Some gravitate toward the solitude and serenity, others toward on-the-water action.  Smith Mountain Lake is particularly popular with wake sport enthusiasts. Throughout the summer season, wake boarding, wake skating, skiing, paddleboarding and more playful forms of water sporting provide challenge, fun and entertainment for all ages. Wake sports bring both amateur and professional competitors to SML. Most importantly, though, water sporting brings the SML community together.  Senior Smith Mountain Lakers join ski teams and support wake sport skill development in younger enthusiasts. Many SML young adults and teenagers start wake boarding, skiing or wake skating early and some even go on to become regionally or nation... 07/21/2011

Starting as an idea in January of 2003, "The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail" quickly became an amazing and well-received over 300-mile trail accentuating the extraordinary vitality of the region's musical heritage. Due to the tremendous response from counties, cities, towns, state agencies tourism organizations and music venues, a steering committee with representatives from these organizations and places meets every month to guide the direction this is going, make decisions and even implement policies. Many of the events take place near Smith Mountain Lake, making it convenient for residents to take the "crooked road" to fun. If you are a music lover, you don't want to miss out on this incredible chance to experience the history of this region's music in such a distincti... 07/14/2011

Are you preparing a Virginia wedding? Are you a southwest Virginia resident with a recently engaged daughter or granddaughter? With its endless body of water, breathtaking blue ridge mountain setting, green shoreline and stylish real estate, Smith Mountain Lake is both a resident’s dream AND a bride and groom’s top choice wedding backdrop. Weddings at Smith Mountain Lake are increasing in popularity - no surprise to locals. The lake offers astonishing natural beauty to enhance the big event experience (not to mention the photos) along with thrilling recreational opportunities for wedding guests not found in a town or city.    A serene waterfront wedding is beautiful, classy, relaxing and a certain way to make the big day stand out in your guests’ minds. If you’re considering a Smith Mo... 07/06/2011

While enjoying your summer at Smith Mountain Lake, don't miss out on a blast from the past. Feel like you are taking a step back in time when you visit the Mayberry Drive-in & Diner. This is a great way for you to be a little nostalgic and let your children and grandchildren get a taste of yesteryears! Make a day of it since there are things to do from morning till night. The doors open at 6:30am and don't close until 10pm (11pm on weekends). So get there early to enjoy a delicious pancake and bacon breakfast in the 1950s-style diner. Go outside and play with the kids, even bring the family dog. Play soccer or kickball with family and friends, monkey around on the jungle gym, get faces painted and run with the dog. In keeping with the nostalgic theme, amusement park rides that mimic the... 07/06/2011

If you were on the fence about taking a vacation this year (or even are planning ahead for next year), it's not too late to arrange a fabulous, affordable getaway to Smith Mountain Lake. Not only will the beautiful sight of what's been called the "Jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains" be relaxing in and of itself, it also provides excellent recreation for those who enjoy a more active time. At SML, the scenery is absolutely astounding, the fun is endless, and there are accommodations to fit almost all time constraints and budgets. Rentals are available by the long weekend, week, and even the month. You can choose to deal directly with the private homeowner or SML vacation rental property managers. Similar to other vacation spots, rates are based on the season, size of the rental property, ... 06/29/2011

Smith Mountain Lake is not only an amazing haven to live in, it also attracts a great many vacationers looking for a utopia of sorts. Smith Mountain Lake Association (SMLA) would like to keep it that way. They are asking your help to make sure this breathtaking lake stays in tip-top condition. One of the latest concerns is stormwater runoff creating unwanted sedimentation and erosion. SMLA's mission statement is as follows: "The Association will represent its members on issues that affect Smith Mountain Lake and its watershed. Members' interests will be advocated throughout the watershed and the Commonwealth, using education and information as the means to influence constructive outcomes." This is one association that takes its mission statement very seriously. Keeping that in mind, th... 06/21/2011

Boating, Skiing, Wake boarding, Tubing, Jet skiing, Snorkeling, Swimming, Diving, Fishing - we could go on and on about the endless water activities at Smith Mountain Lake. Throughout the summer, the lake water invites water sport enthusiasts of every age, skill and style. When you come to Smith Mountain Lake, you’ll see casual boat cruisers in sleek speed boats or spacious pontoons taking in the gorgeous blue ridge scenery. Wake boarders and skiers of all varieties having a water-filled blast while  perfecting tricks and turns. Near SML’s private coves and docks are families swimming, snorkeling and diving to beat the summer heat.    At Smith Mountain Lake, water recreation is the obvious choice. The days are warm and long this time of year, giving you and your family the perfect oppo... 06/21/2011

In a recent issue of Smith Mountain Laker Magazine, garden photographer, speaker and author Catriona Tudor Erler shares some of her knowledge and experience to help you create an amazing array of flowers around your own home. If the natural beauty exuding from every pore of Smith Mountain Lake compels you to want landscaping to match, follow this expert advice for a fabulous flower frenzy! Erler recommends these following tips: Good Soil If you are not in a hurry, you could collect some organic materials-make sure compost, leaves, rotted manure, and weed-free straw are included in the mixture-and spread at least 5-6 inches on top of the existing soil. Let the worms do all the digging, while the decomposition of the materials will be improving your soil. In a couple of years, it will be ... 06/13/2011

Few things make a dining experience better than great live music. Smith Mountain Lake has both excellent dining options - both off-shore and waterfront - and some spectacular local bands and musicians that regularly treat diners with superb song.    If you’re out in shorts and T-shirt for a casual cruise to a waterfront hot spot with inexpensive menu items, a full list of drinks and some good local rock check out Mango’s Bar & Grill at Bridgewater Plaza. They feature local bands playing a variety of genres such as bluegrass, acoustic rock and alternative. Jump on the stage yourself for their weekly karaoke nights. www.mangosbarandgrill.com   If you like your music theme to match the cuisine, check out Poppy’s at the Lake Restaurant, Portside Bar & Grill (www.vadarecruises.com) King’s P... 06/13/2011

If Smith Mountain Lakers can tear themselves away from the lake long enough to check out the exciting upcoming Juneteenth Celebration at Booker T. Washington National Monument, it will be fun for the whole family! Not only is this a piece of history, but an educational event where the kids will be having so much fun, they won't even realize how much they are learning!  Offered on Saturday, June 18, 2011 from 1pm - 4pm, this is an opportunity to recognize and appreciate freedom. Booker T. Washington was born a slave, and after the Civil War, became an accomplished author, orator, and adviser. He was the first principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School, and has been called one of the most influential African-American men of his era. The history of his birthplace is what is offered... 06/08/2011

One of our favorite Smith Mountain Lake activities we recommend to visitors is visiting a waterfront restaurant by boat. The cruise to a lakeside dining location, enjoying the shoreline scenery and returning home under the nighttime stars is a memorable experience in and of itself. It’s a good thing Smith Mountain Lake has plenty of waterfront dining options to choose from. And it’s also a good thing the Smith Mountain Laker Magazine recently published a comprehensive piece about ten of them.    In “10 Restaurants to try by Boat this Summer”, writer Andie Gibson gives a glimpse into the atmosphere, food, on-the-water location and annual highlights of several quality restaurants that happen to be accessible by boat.    Whether your family is in the mood for American grill, Chinese, Mexi... 06/02/2011

The summer season at Smith Mountain Lake is quite a thrill that many boating novices and veterans alike look forward to annually.  After all,  Smith Mountain Lake (SML) is one of Virginia's purest, most beautiful, and peaceful lakes - an amazing place to spend a vacation or to reside all year round. Obviously, the vast 40-mile long lake with 500 miles of shoreline attracts a lot of people who enjoy boating. With over 20,000 acres across the entire lake, there is plenty of room and the view is a breathtaking sight! As if that wasn't enough to attract a boat lover, pulling into one of SML's many little coves and taking a dip is another option as the water temperatures, mostly May - September, make it almost too hard to resist. Even if you don't have a boat of your own, but would like to t... 05/27/2011

Back in April, Virginia was hit by 24 tornados that killed 10 and destroyed 212 homes while damaging 1,000 more. If you are a Smith Mountain Lake homeowner or a potential one, you may be concerned whether more recent storm  activity will once again hit our state. You wonder "Will your homeowner's insurance cover the damage done during a storm, specifically, a tornado?" In a word, yes. A tornado is considered "wind damage," which is included.  Realize, though, for adequate coverage-especially in areas known to be high risk for tornadoes and other types of natural disasters-you will need to do your homework, and be sure both the type and the actual coverage amount of the policy is suitable to your current needs. You want a policy that will weather the storm. The best way to avoid any prob... 05/25/2011

  Boating, be it a slow amble about the lake in a pontoon or a wind-whipping cruise in a speedboat, is wildly popular during the summer at Smith Mountain Lake. In these eighty-degree days, the best way to take advantage of the heat, sun and vivid landscape is by hopping into a boat. Before you and your family throttle away from the dock, however, the person in charge will need to put in some preparation time to ensure a safe and accurately directed adventure.    Be Boating Safe Being safe while boating Smith Mountain Lake isn’t simply a matter of having enough life jackets on board. Sunscreen, water to hydrate and a first aid kit are also necessary to bring. Be sure there is a phone or two available incase of emergency and notify friends or family not coming with of your boating plans, ... 05/25/2011

Everybody has a bit of nostalgia when it comes to the past. Well now you have a chance to see the way things were in Franklin County, VA! Not far from Smith Mountain Lake  on Father's Day weekend, you can take a step back in time at the Southwest Virginia Antique Farm Days held at the Franklin County Recreation Park. This three day event will have something for everyone, admission is only $5 and children under 12 are free. There will be lots of things to see and do with live demonstrations every day. Threshing, baling and sawmilling are just a few of the demonstrations, and everything from tractors to riding mowers will show off their power to pull. For the collector or bargain hunter there will be a flea market and an auction. For those of you who love to plant and harvest, there will ... 05/21/2011

Green can be beautiful on Smith Mountain Lake, whether you are talking about our lush golf courses or homes built with the environment in mind. Recently the Washington Post published an article about the first home LEED certified in Smith Mountain Lake; only 16 other homes in all of Virginia have earned that distinction as well. The home is no small bungalow either, at 5,200 square feet, it proves you can be big, bold and beautiful and still be environmentally friendly.Wayne and Joan Pepper had owned their lakefront lot for several years and a decrease in the cost of building supplies gave them a green light to move forward with building their dream home. They wanted to have a home that was energy efficient and retirement ready, little did they know they would get much more than that! W... 05/14/2011

Family Feud Appalachia! No it isn’t the latest show in reality television. It is the infamous feud between the Hatfield and McCoy families that took place right here in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It can be fun trying to separate fact from fiction. Recently the Conflict in the Mountains: Famous Appalachian Feuds event at to the W.E. Skelton 4-H Education Center right in Smith Mountain Lake took a look at the family feuds that are a part of the legend and lore of the Appalachia. The most recognized feud was that of the Hatfield and McCoy families and it has made its way into many Hollywood productions. Though most films make them seem more a comedy than a tragedy, these family feuds were a dangerous way of life for those living in the mountains. One of the most famous local fe... 05/07/2011

Nestled into the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain setting of southwestern Virginia, Smith Mountain Lake not only offers scenery beyond compare, it offers the best of the four seasons. Smith Mountain Lake’s climate cannot be beat.    Spring & Summer Spring at Smith Mountain Lake is just the way it should be - a strong mix of rain and sun and steady warming temperatures. Though spring can be the most unpredictable season in a climate like ours, a Smith Mountain Lake spring’s upper sixties average is warm enough to start the surf and sun activities early. Not to mention budding foliage and flowers by March. The summertime is very lake recreation appropriate with warm and sunny with temperatures averaging in the upper eighties. Summer at Smith Mountain Lake gives visitors and residents ample ... 04/23/2011